“Insert action”

AI Overview: In the NFL, “insert action” refers to an offensive concept where a non-lineman—usually a tight end, H-back, or wide receiver—sprints in motion right before the snap and then “inserts” himself directly into an interior gap to act as a lead blocker.

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Ryan Paganetti@RyanPaganetti
I manually charted every snap of the entire 2025 Rams offense, the highest scoring team in the NFL. Insert action was everywhere: motions, alignments, blocks and play action, with both wide receivers and tight ends.

Including the playoffs, roughly one third of their under center first and second down plays featured some kind of insert component.

Duo accounted for nearly 40% of their run offense, the highest rate in the NFL according to @FantasyPtsData. Many of those runs featured insert blocks.

On under center early downs, their runs with insert action produced 5.05 yards per play, a 53.5% success rate and +0.07 EPA per play.

But their duo identity created an incredible dilemma for defenses: commit inside to stop it, and risk getting outflanked outside to that same side.

Running outside zone toward the three player side of 3×1 formations, the Rams produced 565 yards on 81 carries: 7.0 yards per carry, a 61.7% success rate and +0.23 EPA per play.

Watching those runs, what stood out was how often they got the edge of the defense for big gains. The frequency was staggering.

Looking through at least a decade of data, I couldn’t find another team remotely close to that effectiveness on those runs.

They could do it from 11 or 13 personnel, running both duo and outside zone and presenting the same problem with different personnel on the field.

Widen to protect the edge, and they could come right back to duo. React aggressively to the insert action, and they could throw behind you.

The insert wasn’t just a wrinkle. It helped tie the interior run, perimeter run and play action game together.

My top offensive trend prediction for the 2026 season: more teams building around insert action, pairing duo inside with outside zone to the same side, and tying it together with play action.

Jason Kelce@JasonKelce
I have long loved the McVay/Shanahan run schemes and their ability to use players in multiple ways/roles within their offense to be more diverse formation wise and run concept wise. Is Kyle Juszczyk a FB, a TE, an H-Back, or a slot receiver. He can be any and all of those. The Rams shift to Duo and using Puka Nacua a WR, as an H-Back, FB, and doing run concepts you aren’t ready for out of 11 personnel while also being a stud WR has been so fun to watch.

Watching the Rams go from almost entirely outside zone based, to now really 50/50, if anything leaning more Duo, has been interesting. The downhill insert runs on Duo force defenses to attack the line of scrimmage, and Outside zone pairs so well with defenders having to move laterally to defend it.

Is Puka Special though, how many other teams have a premier WR willing to do this type of work?